Berkeley police identify three suspects arrested in armed robbery

BERKELEY -- Three men were arrested early Thursday in connection with an armed robbery near the UC Berkeley campus, police said.

James Heater, 22 of Oakland, Bart Perrin, 22, of San Ramon and Stefon Simpkins, 21 who has no known address, were arrested on armed robbery charges.

The robbery happened about 1:30 a.m. Thursday when a 19-year-old man standing at Warring Street and Channing Way was approached by two men.

The men stole the man's backpack, cell phone and wallet before getting into a car driven by one of the men, police said. The victim gave police descriptions of the men and their car. No one was injured.

Police from both Berkeley and UC Berkeley departments searched the area for the car and alerted other police agencies to the robbery. The three were later arrested after they were seen driving on Highway 13 in Oakland.